Pamela Chopra, playback singer and Yash Chopra’s wife, passes away at 74

Pamela Chopra, wife of late filmmaker Yash Chopra, passed away in Mumbai

Pamela Chopra, playback singer, writer and late filmmaker Yash Chopra’s wife, died on Thursday at a Mumbai hospital. She was 74.

Pamela Chopra breathed her last at Lilavati hospital where she was admitted after being diagnosed with pneumonia. She is survived by her sons, filmmaker Aditya Chopra and actor Uday Chopra.

“She passed away today early morning due to pneumonia with ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). She had been admitted to the hospital for 15 days in the ICU,” Dr Prahlad Prabhudesai told PTI.

Yash Raj Films said in a statement that the last rites took place at 11 am.

“With heavy hearts, the Chopra family would like to inform that Pamela Chopra, 74, passed away this morning… We are grateful for your prayers and the family would like to request for privacy in this moment of deep sadness and reflection,” the statement read Pamela Chopra married Yash Chopra in 1970 and remained an important influence in his career. She sang many songs for his films, including ‘Surkh Jode Ki Jagmagahat’ in Kabhie Kabhie, ‘Khude Se Jo Vada Kiya Tha’ in Silsila and ‘Ghar Aaja Pardesi’ in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge.

She wrote the story of Kabhie Kabhie, Yash Chopra’s 1976 directorial starring Amitabh Bachchan, Raakhee, Shashi Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor.

Pamela Chopra is credited as a screenwriter along with others, including her son and husband, in Dil To Pagal Hai. Beyond singing and writing, she was involved in her family’s production banner Yash Raj Films as dress designer, producer and associate producer.

She most recently made an appearance on The Romantics, Netflix’s four-part docu-series celebrating the movies of Yash Chopra and his production house.

Yash Chopra died in October 2012.